AJ Styles’ Return Date From Injury, Luke Harper’s AEW Debut

AJ Styles Injured At Royal Rumble, Sidelined For Few Weeks

AJ Styles suffered an injury at the 2020 Royal Rumble. The former WWE champion is expected to be sidelined from 4-to-6 weeks, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The injury is believed to have occurred during a spot with Edge in the Royal Rumble match. Styles separated his shoulder, leading to his elimination from the battle royal.

“AJ Styles looks optimistically they’re looking at 4-to-6 weeks out,” Meltzer said (thanks to Ringside News for the quotes). “The plan is they hope that he’ll be ready for WrestleMania. He talked about it and said it’s not Edge’s fault at all.

“He just tried to take this great bump for Edge’s spear and in doing so he separated his shoulder.”

Styles’ stable teammates, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, pressed on without him on RAW. However, the two were defeated by Royal Rumble winner Drew McIntyre in a handicapped match.

The 42-year-old Styles most recently held the WWE United States title. He held the belt for 134 days before losing it to Rey Mysterio this past November on RAW.

Styles has previously held the New Japan Pro-Wrestling IWGP heavyweight title, the NWA heavyweight title and the WWE championship.

It is possible that Styles still makes it to WrestleMania 36. His injury would be right on target for a return in April.

Luke Harper’s AEW Debut Set For March 18

Former WWE superstar Luke Harper is expected to make his All Elite Wrestling debut in March.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Harper is likely to go back to the name Brodie Lee for his new promotion. He will make his debut during the March 18 AEW Dynamite event in his hometown of Rochester, New York.

While his no-compete clause with the WWE ends earlier in March, the report indicates this date as a better fit to debut. Harper is also scheduled to be part of WrestleCon, held the weekend of WrestleMania.

Harper was part of the December 8 releases by the WWE that also included Sin Cara and The Ascension. He had asked for his release and filed a trade mark for “Brodie Lee.”

The 40-year-old Harper has plenty of success in the WWE. He won the NXT tag team titles with Erick Rowan and formed a strong stable with Bray Wyatt.

Harper also held the WWE Intercontinental title, was a two-time SmackDown tag team champion and won a Slammy Award for Match of the Year in 2014.